Storage networks are increasingly utilized to store large amounts of data for enterprises. In order to optimize the storage of data, and provide efficient service for storage operations for clients, data storage networks can incorporate storage management computing devices. Storage management computing devices can run an operating system that is optimized for storing data in a data storage network and for performing storage operations on the stored data. Storage networks in data centers generally include storage management and data storage devices, among others, that communicate across varying distances. For this and other reasons, various protocols are used within storage networks, and bridge devices are provided to perform translations and routing, among other functions.
For example, a storage management computing device can communicate with a bridge device using a fibre channel (FC) protocol and FC link that facilitates communications over relatively long distances. The bridge device then communicates with stacks that hold shelves of storage devices (e.g., disks) using a serial attached small computer system interface (SCSI) (SAS) and SAS link optimized for communication over relatively short distances. Accordingly, the bridge device in this example translates and routs FC messages received from a storage management computing device via an FC port to storage devices in stacks that are each connected to an SAS port of the bridge device.
The FC messages can be requests to perform storage operations and can include a logical unit number (LUN) that is associated with one of the storage devices in a shelf of one of the stacks communicably coupled to the bridge device via one of the SAS ports. Accordingly, upon receipt, the bridge device knows where to access data in order to implement the storage operation of an FC message based on a LUN included in the FC message.
Currently, bridge device assign LUNs sequentially as storage devices are connected or come online, and report the LUNs to storage management computing devices. Based on the reporting, a storage management computing device learns that a new storage device is available to provide storage functionality. Bridge devices are also configured to monitor failure of storage devices and to report a failure of a storage device to storage management computing devices by sending the LUN number of the failed storage device via an FC link, for example.
As LUNs are currently assigned sequentially by bridge devices, storage management computing devices are unable to determine the port of a bridge device that a storage device is attached (e.g., via inclusion in a stack coupled to the port), which can be useful information in many contexts. In one particular example, storage management computing devices cannot provide information (e.g., an indication of a stack) that would allow a technician to efficiently locate a failed storage device, resulting in increased time to address the failure of the storage device and reduced performance of the storage network for client devices.